Tobacco in Elgin County

Transplanting

In this May 1972 photograph, area farmers were beginning to plant the year's crop of tobacco. From left, Mrs. Anna Dueck of RR 4, St. Thomas, and Mrs. Helen Schroeder of 16 Antrim Street, St. Thomas, pull tobacco plants in a greenhouse on the farm of Henry Devries, RR 4, St. Thomas. The plants were to be transplanted in fields later that week.
St. Thomas Times-Journal fonds, C8 Sh2 B2 F5 24.

Mid-May to Mid-June: Transplanting

Once there is no danger of frost, farmers begin to till the land in preparation and destroy pests using poisoned bait or insecticides. It is also good agricultural practice to rotate tobacco with another crop every one to two years to allow the soil to replenish nutrients absorbed by the tobacco plants. The seedlings are carefully removed from the greenhouse beds, making certain to leave a healthy root system still attached to the plant, packed into boxes and taken for planting. Early planting was done by hand, but farmers progressed to automatic planters (1 or 2 row) which place the plant at the exact right depth and spacing and apply fertilizer and water. Labourers are needed to place the delicate seedlings into the mechanism by hand. These planters are mounted on or pulled by a tractor. Transplanting by hand using a jackplanter is done to fill in small patches where frost or pests have killed some seedlings. Transplanting is usually completed by mid-June.


The first tobacco planting in Aldborough Township for 1974 took place in the third week of May on the Fodor farm on Middle Street. Left to right: Ron and Linda Ford, Mrs. Mat Fodor, Ernie Fodor. Mat Fodor driving.
West Lorne Sun and Rodney Mercury fonds, C9 Sh6 B2 F1974 156.